Cape Cod mother outraged by parole hearing for son's killer

Less than a year after pleading guilty to killing Sgt. Matthew Gallagher of North Falmouth, Brent McBride has the possibility of parole.

Gallagher was killed by McBride, his roommate in Iraq, in a deadly game and there is now outrage from Gallagher's mother over the possibility he will be paroled.

"The forensics' ruling was homicide. He was shot," said Cheryl Ruggiero, Gallagher's mother. "What was his (McBride's) story? That they were playing quick draw a game like in the wild west?"

It was only 10 months ago that McBride, who said he did not know the gun was loaded, accepted a deal and pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Ruggiero never believed his explanation.

A military judge sentenced McBride to 4 ½ years in prison, but a few weeks ago Ruggiero received a letter telling her the sentence had been commuted to three years and he now has the option of receiving early parole.

"I'm disgusted. My daughter didn't even want to have the holidays this year," Ruggiero said. "I feel for his (McBride's) family. That's another mother's son. He is going to walk out and they are going to be there to embrace him. I go to the cemetery."

The parole hearing is scheduled for Feb. 5 in Washington. Ruggiero said she will be there and argue against it, in her son's memory.

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